Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae "Ending support for postpartum care expenses is an inevitable choice."

“At least we can’t stop providing government funding… we can’t stop feeding children and supporting the underprivileged.”

(Suwon = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Jong-ho = Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae asked for understanding on the 13th about Gyeonggi Province's decision to end the postpartum care support project, calling it "an inevitable choice."

Governor Chu expressed this position on his Facebook page on this day, saying, "This year's budget was only allocated for nine months from the beginning, and while there was no money left to fill the three-month gap, we could not stop providing children's meals and supporting the disabled and vulnerable groups. The executive branch discussed this several times."

He added, "We accepted the executive branch's suggestion that it is a priority to support treatment costs for infertile couples, which will end in September if the original budget is set, rather than adding provincial funds to projects that are paid with government funds, such as postpartum care expenses."

He added, "Gyeonggi-do's finances are currently in a very worrisome situation, and as the governor, I am making efforts in various ways with a heavy sense of responsibility to normalize finances. I will definitely get Gyeonggi-do's finances back on track."

Previously, as similar support systems such as the government's 'First Meeting Voucher' and city and county childbirth subsidies were established and expanded, Gyeonggi Province decided to operate the postpartum care expenses support project only for applications this month and then terminate it.

Gyeonggi Province has been providing local currency worth 500,000 won per child to families residing in Gyeonggi Province to alleviate the financial burden on families giving birth and to protect the health of mothers and newborns.

Provincial residents are raising their voices against the decision to terminate this project through the 'Gyeonggi Provincial Petition' website.

The number of participants in the ‘Opposition to the surprise abolition of Gyeonggi-do postnatal care fees’ petition posted here on the 9th of this month is currently about 16,900. If more than 10,000 people agree to the petition, the governor must issue an official response.